While Google's Nexus devices have started receiving the first major update to Android Lollipop, Sony's own handsets have only just started getting updated to Android Lollipop 5.0.
Sony announced in a blog post on Monday that it has started rolling out the update to its Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z3 Compact smartphones to users located in the Nordic and Baltic countries, which include Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Denmark, Estonia, and Latvia. The rest of Europe and the U.S. is expected to receive the update two weeks after.
Last year, Sony promised that it will bring Android Lollipop to all devices in its Xperia Z line, including the Xperia Z3v, the Z3 Tablet Compact, the Z2, Z2 Tablet, and the Z1. At the time, the Japanese smartphone maker said it would start upgrading its handsets starting with the Z3 and the Z2 series, with all remaining devices to follow afterwards.
"We've been working hard to bring this major update to as many of our Z Series devices as we can, as quickly as we can," said a Sony spokesperson. "We're really excited about the new Sony features and functionality and the improvements we've made to the user experience."
These new features Sony mentioned in October include a newer, more streamlined interface based on Google's Material Design but with the same minimalistic approach used in Sony's own handsets. It will also include the same lock screen notifications but customized for the Z3 interface.
Also included are the same Android Lollipop features Google introduced last year, such as multiple user profiles and guest mode for when users are sharing the same device, Android for Work, and the ability to move apps from internal storage to SD card.
Earlier this month, Sony announced via its Indonesian arm that it will start rolling out the over-the-air Android Lollipop starting on Monday, March 16, so it appears that Sony is right on the dot with its OTA updates.
It is unclear if Sony will also push the Android Lollipop 5.1 update that Nexus devices have started receiving. While the 5.0.1 and 5.0.2 updates were more about bug fixes to the numerous problems that plagued Android Lollipop 5.0, the first major update actually brings with it new features, such as the return of the silent mode and the ability to browse the web through a secure VPN service.
Photo: Kārlis Dambrāns | Flickr
